NATURE NOTES – Number 42 April 14, 2022
Introduction:
Springtime is coming, and with it an excellent time to observe the wonders of nature all around us. There are many things to point out to scouts on any spring outing to get their minds to thinking about nature. Here are some ideas to think about and use during:
Our Current Topic: Springtime in Nature
Look for how the forest floor starts to turn green a couple of weeks before the leaves on the higher plants and trees. Why is this? Simple: the plants on the forest floor need that sunlight to start their growth early because as soon as the trees start to leaf out, the sun cannot reach the ground underneath the trees. Also, the sun warms that forest floor and provides a nice warm place for the understory to start its growth season.
Birds are returning to the area after winter. Watch for the sounds as well as the sightings of many birds not seen over the winter. In most species, the males will show up first to establish territories and be ready to seek mates. Their sounds can be heard easily. Usually the first week of May is a prime time in this area to catch the many colorful warblers that migrate through. Watch for the reappearing chimney swifts and swallows overhead, even in built-up areas. The phoebes will be among the first to return to scout camp and rebuild their nests under the porches. Notice some winter birds have disappeared from around your bird feeders: Juncos, White-capped sparrows have gone north.
The leaves are budding out. Trees are blooming, which will go unnoticed by many. Maples, willow, poplar, oaks, locust, cherry, etc. People often do not realize all of these trees bear flowers. Encourage scouts to look UP!
Insects are starting to be more common and abundant. Notice the variety of these creatures. The arrival of birds and insects in the spring is not just a coincidence – the insects are needed by the birds for food. They are also there to help pollinate the many plants in bloom. NATURE NOTES will discuss both pollination and insects soon.
The days are getting longer, allowing plants to get more sunlight each day and support the animals that feed off of these new plants. Deer will be looking for all the succulent new grow on a variety of plants. Watching deer browse will show that the younger ones have not yet learned what they like best, and will tend to nibble on most anything along their route. They will learn to disfavor some plants – until they get hungry later in the summer. The adults have lost their blackish coat and the blonde color is returning. Fawns are being dropped – often in the most unlikely places, like your front yard. The doe may be out forging, so don’t assume the fawn is abandoned. Both will be gone soon. (See last month’s NATURE NOTE on deer).
The snakes are coming out. This may be a good time to do a quick familiarization of the venomous snakes in our area before venturing out. Use the internet to find some good photos to show scouts what copperheads and Timber rattlers look like.
If you have access to a pond or lake, amphibians will be appearing. Listen for the frogs. The Spring Peeps, Leopard frogs, toads, Green frog, and the heavy-duty Bullfrog will be hard to miss. They all have different calls. Check a field guide or an app to learn more about the calls. These frog calls are for attracting mates as well as establishing their territory. Remember that a lot of amphibians prefer the night (keeps their skin from drying out) so maybe try an early evening frog-walk (take a strong flashlight). During the day, watch for jelly-like masses of frog eggs in shallow water, and look for salamanders under rocks in streams.
Wildflowers are appearing on the forest floor almost on a daily basis. Note how they don’t all bloom at one time. This is to provide a source of nectar to insects throughout the summer and into the fall. Again, encourage scouts to LOOK.
Opportunities:
Hopefully you have spring time activities planned that will take scouts outdoors in some way – a campout, a hike, or even an outdoor gathering before a scout meeting. Use this time to point out things in nature, to challenge scouts to find things, make lists of what they find, ask questions. Ask around among parents: is there someone who might be able to lead a discussion or hike? Maybe a science teacher, a fisherman or a naturalist (professional or self-taught). Maybe start doing a “nature minute“ at each scout meeting to start them thinking. Use this collection of NATURE NOTES as a source of information.
This might be a good time to start talking about the opportunities for taking nature merit badges at summer camp. A number of nature merit badges will be offered at Camp Powhatan. Unfortunately, the Eagle rank no longer requires any true nature merit badges, but they can certainly count toward optional requirements and introduce scouts to topics they may never been exposed to before.
Thanks for doing whatever you can, and thanks for reading these NTURE NOTES. Let me know any thoughts you might have.
Bob Garst
